Press release:

Evan Vanskiver Adam Montes

At 2:41 PM, Batavia Police were dispatched to the intersection of Bank Street and North Street for the report of a stolen motor vehicle.

The vehicle was located on Ellicott Street near Liberty Street by a patrol. The patrol attempted to stop the vehicle, and the vehicle fled to West Main Street and continued westbound out of the city.

The stolen vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle on Route 5 near Wortendyke Road when it avoided a set of tire deflation devices (spike strips) that were deployed by a deputy with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office; however, the stolen vehicle continued.

The vehicle then started traveling in a southerly direction through the towns of Batavia, Alexander, Pembroke, and Darien. 

Numerous attempts were made to deploy spike strips; however, the stolen vehicle was able to avoid them each time. 

The vehicle entered the Village of Attica on Route 238, then turned into an apartment complex on Sokol Drive, where it struck a garbage dumpster, the driver then fled from the vehicle on foot. He was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit. The passenger was apprehended in the vehicle.

The driver is identified as Evan J. Vanskiver, 31, of Brockport. The passenger is identified as Adam J. Montes, 38, of Hamlin. Both suspects were arrested previously in the day by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office following a larceny investigation in Elba and were released from the Genesee County Jail at approximately 2:15 PM due to NYS Bail Reform legislation.

Current Charges:

Evan J. Vanskiver

• Criminal Mischief 3rd (Felony)
• Grand Larceny 3rd (Felony)
• Conspiracy
• Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer
• Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 2nd
• Multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law violations

Adam J. Montes

• Grand Larceny 3rd (Felony)
• Conspiracy

"Officers of the Batavia Police Department exercised appropriate care and caution during a dangerous situation, taking into account the road conditions as well as traffic conditions while attempting to catch a fleeing felon", stated Police Chief Shawn Heubusch, "Officers are highly trained to ensure that the risk of pursuing any individual or vehicle does not outweigh the risk to the community. They should be commended for bringing this situation to a safe conclusion."

The defendants are being held at the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Court.

Officers of the City of Batavia Police Department were assisted by members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, the Genesee County 911 Center, the New York State Police, Corfu Police Department, Village of Attica Police Department, and Attica Ambulance service.

While city officials have expressed surprise and disappointment about the details of Ellicott Station, developer Samuel Savarino and Steve Hyde, CEO of the county’s Economic Development Center, remain enthusiastic about the possibilities to come along with the 55-unit, low-income apartment complex in Batavia.

During an interview with The Batavian, Savarino was steadfast about tenants being employed and able to pay their rents at the 50 Ellicott St. site.

“Our project is one- and two-bedroom, which I think could be said fits the profile of young workers or working couples,” he said.

The Batavian asked about the maximum income qualifications, per the Ellicott Station application, which in some cases means people making minimum wage wouldn’t qualify for a two-person apartment. Savarino said that those numbers were fixed in 2019, per 50 to 60 percent of the area median income at the time. And they’re not set in stone.

“When things change every year, the income restrictions are reset, just as there are changes in the area median income and what people earn. So, you know, that changes over time. But, I think it really does set at some are 50 and the majority are 60 percent of AMI, right? And that's back in 2019 numbers,” he said. “And the project has to be up and operating before it gets reset. So if wages have gone up in that time, then the income restrictions will go up, and if they’re going down, the income restrictions will go down.”

He isn’t sure why city officials are upset about the low-income qualifications and Section 8 availability, he said, since the project has been geared toward what’s affordable for the Batavia area per a market study from the project's inception. It is true, he said, that Home and Community Renewal’s involvement — which happened when the state entity granted him more than $5 million in tax credits to get the project going — also meant a market study review and conclusion about what would be considered affordable.

“I think we had a market study which looked at … I mean, everybody can maybe look around things and draw their own conclusions. And, you know, a market study is a little more detailed … it's a little more refined, and more scientific with determining what the achievable rents would be and whether there would be people to rent at certain levels. Any market study will do that,” he said. “And if you looked at the application that went in to the unified funding application to Home and Community Renewal, which provides the tax credits, which an investor purchases, and then they provide some financing for the projects, that it was workforce housing, affordable workforce housing.

“And that's consistent with what everybody was saying. It can be reset, but that's what we need to follow … at the suggestion of HCR after they examined the market study. My recollection was that they said, that's where the market was. And that was where the need was.

“I’m not quite sure if there's an Oxford dictionary definition of what is affordable as opposed to workforce, as opposed to low income. You know, it depends. And it may mean different things in different communities,” he said. 

Those terms are used interchangeably, he said. Above all, he envisions working singles and couples, or perhaps seniors on a fixed income, living at Ellicott Station. Given the low-income levels, what’s the chance that many would also require government assistance to make the rent if they qualified for those income levels? Savarino wasn’t familiar with how Section 8 works, he said, but it does work the same as with any other rental. It's illegal to discriminate against a tenant with Section 8 requirements, he said.

His management will be screening applicants to ensure they have a job and can pay rent, he said. Furthermore, he believes they will be “good tenants” living in a good, quality residence with plenty of security cameras, and secured access to the building. The Batavian asked him why the playground was built and promoted if he didn’t think the apartments had the space for children — which he had said during the interview — and it is a mandated requirement, he said.

As for the meanings of workforce, affordable and low income, The Batavian had previously published an article citing the definitions, per the Housing and Urban Development site. Though, in talking to various people regarding this project, those words did seem a bit murkier. Savarino disputed a statement in a prior Batavian article that he had quoted specific, ideal wages of $18 to $20, and also $20 and below. He didn’t recall having said that, though it was captured on a recorder. None of the maximum incomes allow for those wages or even $14 in some cases.

The calculations worked out to take 30 percent of one’s salary for rent and utilities, he said, and leave the remaining 70 percent for other expenses. That means tenants could potentially have disposable income to dine at downtown restaurants or do some shopping, which was one of the original goals of the project, he said.     

The other goals were to include commercial and retail projects at the site, and, due to the lengthy time it took to get going, Resurgence Brewing “timed out” and completed a project in its own neighborhood, Savarino said. He has some interested prospects and is committed to following through with a brewery/restaurant with either an outside company or Savarino Companies itself.

Steve Hyde, president and CEO of Genesee County's Economic Development Center, focused on another aspect of the project — the longstanding and dilapidated defunct buildings at 30-50 Ellicott St. Ellicott Station was designed initially “and continues to contribute to helping achieve the goals of the Batavia Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI),” he said.

He pulled an excerpt from the DRI application for the Build Ellicott Station Project:

“The DRI program will be a comprehensive approach to boost Batavia’s economy by transforming the downtown into a vibrant neighborhood where the next generation will want to live, work and raise a family.  A key component of the DRI program is to advance strategic private and public investments that will provide catalytic impacts to facilitate downtown revitalization.”

“I believe the Ellicott Station Project, in its current form, continues on this path by making public/private investments, revitalizing a blighted parcel which is helping to transform our downtown into a vibrant neighborhood that offers opportunities for our young adults in the community to live, work, play and raise a family in a significantly upgraded area of downtown Batavia,” Hyde said. “We continue to work closely with Developer Sam Savarino and his team to deliver upon his commitment to construct new, modern, and affordable workforce housing for working residents who have modest incomes across our community.  This is a critical element to downtown revitalization efforts because not only does Ellicott Station renovate a blighted parcel in our downtown but it is building workforce housing units for working residents in the heart of our downtown many of whom would have the opportunity to work at our area businesses which are sorely needed.”

Hyde and Savarino also pointed to the benefit of having nearby housing for employees that businesses are seeking. Without local residents, it has been difficult at times for employers to fill vacancies, Savarino said. It also equips downtown with tenants within walking distance, Hyde said.

“This further strengthens the opportunity for greater success for our Main Street businesses and our local economy.  I confirmed with Developer Sam Savarino last week that his commitment to deliver workforce housing for working residents is priority #1.  The incentives provided by GCEDC to support the comprehensive re-development of this mixed use project did comprehend the 60 percent or less AMI and associated range of incomes contemplated for the workforce housing facility as reflected in our public hearing minutes, the board memoranda and final resolution from our March 2020 Board meeting,” he said. “The net of this is: The GCEDC Board of Directors trusted in Sam Savarino to deliver workforce housing for working residents in an effort to incentivize considerable investment and improvements to transform the biggest eyesore in our downtown into a new mixed-use development.  They continue steadfast in their expectation of Mr. Savarino to honor his commitment to provide high-quality workforce housing for working residents across our community.

He and Savarino look forward to the project’s completion, and neither seems to believe that the income qualifications are too low to bring prosperity to the city of Batavia, per questions asked by The Batavian and the focused answers.

“I personally continue to look forward to the positive benefits provided by the Ellicott Station project which includes offering new apartments to our working residents priced in an affordable fashion that would allow them to live, work and play downtown,” Hyde said. “This will, in my view, help to elevate the staffing availability and success of our area businesses – our Main Street businesses in particular.  That is the promise we continue to expect and the main premise why GCEDC has participated actively in this project over the course of the last eight years.”

Photo: File photo of Sam Savarino at the Ellicott Station groundbreaking by Howard Owens

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, to be in effect until midnight.

Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches are expected. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph in Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Northern Erie counties. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute. Periods of snow will result in snow covered roads and limited visibilities. Slow down and use caution while driving.

Press Release:

Richmond Memorial Library will host an author and book talk on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Reading Room. Dr. Miriam Thaggert will present her 2022 book, "Riding Jane Crow: African American Women on the American Railroad."

About the book: As Jim Crow laws became more prevalent and forced black Americans to "ride Jim Crow" on the rails, the train compartment became a contested space of leisure and work. Riding Jane Crow examines four instances of black female railroad travel: the travel narratives of black female intellectuals such as Anna Julia Cooper and Mary Church Terrell; black middle-class women who sued to ride in first class and ladies’ cars and black women railroad food vendors; and black maids on Pullman trains.

Thaggert argues that the railroad represented a technological advancement that was entwined with African American attempts to secure social progress. Black women's experiences on or near the railroad illustrate how American technological progress has often meant their ejection or displacement; thus, it is the Black woman who most fully measures the success of American freedom and privilege, or "progress," through her travel experiences.

About the presenter: Professor Miriam Thaggert is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Buffalo. She is the author of "Riding Jane Crow and Images of Black Modernism: Verbal and Visual Strategies of the Harlem Renaissance." She also co-edited two volumes, A History of the Harlem Renaissance and African American Literature in Transition, 1920-30, both published by Cambridge University Press. For more information, visit miriamthaggert.com

Copies are available to borrow through the library and a limited number of copies will be for sale at the event. Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St., Batavia. For more about the library, visit batavialibrary.org or call 585-343-9550.

Submitted Photo of Miriam Thaggert.

Press release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) yesterday reintroduced the Diverting IRS Resources to the Exigent Crisis Today (DIRECT) Act. The legislation, which Tenney first introduced last year, redirects $45.6 billion from the Biden administration’s overreaching plan to increase audits of low and middle-class families to the border to hire additional law enforcement agents and increase security.

Additional co-sponsors include Rep. Brian Babin (TX-26).

In the Democrats’ falsely named Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS received $45.6 billion for additional enforcement activities, a significant portion of which is set to be used to target low- and middle-income Americans for increased audits. As the Biden administration continues to ignore the crisis at our Southern Border, it is time to put these funds to better use on behalf of the American people. Already in Fiscal Year 2023, there have been almost 875,000 illegal crossings at our Southern Border.

“Since Joe Biden took office, there have been more than 4.6 million illegal crossings at our Southern Border – it is a historic and tragic record. Yet even amidst this crisis, the Biden administration has prioritized increasing audits on middle-class Americans, rather than hiring additional Border Patrol agents to safeguard our national security and restore operational control of the border,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “While the Republican House voted earlier this year to defund Joe Biden’s massive IRS expansion, this bill goes a step further by redirecting these funds to the border, where they are urgently needed.”

The full text of the bill is available here

The first winter meet hosted by Batavia Downs in over two decades will close out its 15-date run on Monday (Feb. 27) with a nine-race card starting at 3 p.m. The early season session has produced record-breaking handles for the track but has also placed two of its regular drivers in lofty standings nationally among their peers.

Kevin Cummings is currently the fifth leading percentage driver in North America for all reignsmen starting under 300 times, boasting a .416 universal drive rating. And right behind him is Jim Morrill Jr. who ranks eighth in the same category with a .393 UDR. So it’s no surprise that the pair sits among the top in the Down’s standings where Morrill is first with a .466 and Cummings is third with a .416.

Morrill is not scheduled to drive on Monday but another local driving leader who will be on hand to close out the meet is Larry Stalbaum, who actually ranks second between Morrill and Cummings with a .465 UDR at Batavia this winter. Stalbaum also trains his owns horses and is the leading percentage conditioner this meet among those with 25 or more starts. His barn posted a stellar .593 UTR and produced 13 winners.

Cummings and Stalbaum will go head-to-head twice on Monday, most notably in the $13,000 Open I trot which is the featured race on the card. Stalbaum starts his own Inquiring Mind, who has a win and a second in his two Batavia starts and is the morning line favorite at 3-1. Cummings will sit behind Silver Buckeye, who just finished third in the $18,000 final of the Western New York Pop-Up Series. He will start from post one at 6-1.

The other match-up comes in the co-featured $12,000 Trackmaster pacing event where Cummings has the 5-2 favored Ready Set Rock, who made her last start on November 30 in the $14,000 Distaff Open I. After two qualifiers at Batavia, Ready Set Rock will make her 2023 seasonal debut Monday. Stalbaum will sit behind Abuelita Hanover, who despite coming into this race with two consecutive convincing victories, has been overlooked in the morning line at 12-1. It’s noteworthy that Ready Set Rock and Abuelita Hanover are the only two mares among the field of eight.

Live racing will return to Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 26) with a 53-date summer-fall meeting that will run through Saturday (Dec. 9).

After more than 50 years in the news business — covering the gamut from radio DJ and newspaper writer to regional photographer, vice president of broadcasting for five stations, and owner of  the successful WBTA radio station with wife Debrah right here in Batavia — Dan Fischer is ready to call it a day

Paperwork was filed on Feb. 17 and the sale became public on Feb. 21 that WBTA advertising executive Jim Ernst, aka Majic Tones LLC, purchased the station, officially titled HPL Communications, for $425,000.

“I’m 72, I’ve been doing this for 53 years, it’s time,” Fischer said to The Batavian. “I enjoy the business; I truly never worked a day in my life. I had the opportunity to sell locally. Jim is an account executive for us, he’s a local guy who grew up in Batavia, and he’s been with us for eight years.”

WBTA AM radio has been on the air based in Batavia since February 1941, with two FM stations, one each based in Batavia and Le Roy, and all three carry the same program. And programs are streamed around the world, Fischer said, to audiences that can be counted “by the person” versus less accurate totals for other audience types.

The station reaps 25,000 listeners cumulatively during each weekly period, though the numbers can vary, say, on a snow day — and “average listenership just soars,” Fischer said. After all, everyone seems concerned about bad weather days.

As for the new ownership, Ernst is a familiar face around town, and “wishes to keep everything the way it is” right now, Fischer said.

“He’s happy with the way things are,” Fischer said.

Staff will also remain the same at this point, which is five full-time, including President/General Manager Dan Fischer and Vice President/Business Manager Debrah Fischer, and five part-time staff, and about four contract talents for sports play-by-play broadcasts, he said.

Perhaps more importantly, how did this all come about? “Jim and I have been talking for a year,” Fischer said. “I was not actively seeking a buyer.”

He liked the idea of keeping the station in local hands, and believes that’s been a key to the station’s success. WBTA had one of its best years in 2019, just before COVID and the pandemic hit, he said, and “we suffered, along with many other businesses,” but the workload on media increased even more so by covering pandemic-related news briefings, announcements, vaccine and protocol updates, and infection rates, he said.

“All while advertising revenues lagged,” he said. “That was a challenge. The station has always done well when in local hands … and owners understand that the way to success was serving the public interest.

“WBTA and The Batavian are the only locally owned and operated media. One of the highlights of my tenure has been our partnership with The Batavian,” Fischer said. “Covering local news is an expensive proposition at a time when advertising revenues for all traditional media are shrinking. We have been able, with our partnership with the Batavian, to stay very competitive in this market.”

Likewise, The Batavian’s publisher, Howard Owens, has greatly valued his professional relationship with Fischer, while also appreciating his “journalistic friendship.”

“I first talked to Dan after I became owner of The Batavian in March 2009. He could see the value of what we were doing, and could see the value of a news partnership. That always gave me somebody to talk to, and we could trust each other. His knowledge of Genesee County has been a tremendous asset to The Batavian, and WBTA is a great example of a news organization serving its local community,” Owens said. “I’m looking forward to working with Jim.”

Fischer’s long history with the company — he and business partner Debrah, who will continue in a consultant role after the sale, bought WBTA in 2004 — also includes a lot of journalism roots attached. His first job was as a country music DJ in Utica who also read the news for listeners. The station owner liked the way Fischer read, and “I really enjoyed doing news,” he said.

“It was a more important calling than just announcing the next Johnny Cash song,” Fischer said.

He worked his way up the ranks, moving to Jamestown, where he met the future Mrs. Fischer, and also worked for Buffalo Courier, Erie Times-News, and WIVB, gleaning all sorts of media nuggets for his future career. He eventually moved to Batavia — a brand new place for the native of Cheektowaga — and credits the late Bill Brown, a popular media figure and author about town — for inviting Fischer to Batavia Rotary, where he met several people, and made those much-needed connections as a new business owner.

Part of the local aspect includes WBTA’s status as being a heritage, full-service radio station. It has been around for decades, even before World War II, Fischer said. News stories from its airwaves have been about tragedy — the Attica Prison riot — and victories — high school championship football games. And everything in between.

“I can’t imagine operating a station with just music,” he said.

Many pancake breakfasts and chicken barbecues later, the Fischers had settled into Batavia life, though as residents of Oakfield. Married for 33 years, they plan to continue their love for travel and visiting family. That is, after all legalities have been finalized, which is to happen in 80 to 90 days when a notification will be sent regarding an assignment of licenses, and that gives the parties 10 days to close the deal.

Top Photo: Dan and Debrah Fischer at the time of the station's 75th anniversary. Photo by Howard Owens. Inset photo, Jim Ernst, courtesy WBTA. 

Hundreds of thirsty visitors walked the streets of downtown Batavia this weekend in search of some tasty ale.

As it turned out, they found plenty of it -- 21 stops, in fact, of craft brews, ciders, and meads at various merchants throughout the Business Improvement District. It was the annual FeBREWary beer walk hosted by the BID.

Beverages, snacks, raffles, and prizes aside, the bustling sidewalks were a welcomed attraction, BID Executive Director Shannon Maute said. Overall, the event went "extremely well," she said.

"We had just about 600 attendees. It was nice to see people walking our main streets and filling our downtown businesses," she said. "Everyone seemed to be having a great time."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

It was a full house Saturday at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, with 40 registered and seven additional walk-in youngsters laced up and ready for some "Try Hockey For Free," event Coordinator Sharon Valyear Gray says.

The event was hosted by Genesee Amateur Hockey Association as part of USA Hockey Week Across America. Local youth, ages 4 to 9, were welcomed at the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning fundamentals of how to skate, how to get up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting pucks into a hockey net, with the guidance of a head coach and on-ice helpers, Gray said.

This year the youngsters had the experience of shooting at actual goalies Rhyss Tanner of the Varisty Batavia Notre Dame team as well as Leo Gray of the Junior Varisty BND team.

“We welcomed families to McCarthy Ice Rink from Batavia, Albion, Alexander, Stafford, Medina, LeRoy, Caledonia, Pavilion, Rochester, Corfu, Freedom, Warsaw, Honeoye Falls, Castile, Oakfield, Darien Center, and Holley to try our great sport of ice hockey,” Gray said. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces and for the youngsters the on-ice experience.”

Head coach Erik Triftshauser, along with Fred Hamilton – both with more than 30 years experience as GAHA  and high school players and coaches -- and on-ice helpers from the United high school teams, worked with the kids, who all seemed "so excited to be coached," and skating with local athletes, Gray said.

The event is hosted by the Try Hockey for Free Coordinators Sharon and Bob Gray and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator Marcia Barnes on behalf of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, which provided the ice, and the McCarthy Rink staff – General Manager Katie Murray, Rink Operating Manager Matt Gray and their "great staff," Sharon Gray said. 

The team’s goal is to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them in October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program, which begins the first week of October. The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.

The GAHA Beginner Program started Session II in early January and added 17 out of 23 new players from the November “Try Hockey for Free” Event. Gray encourages folks to mark your calenda for this fall, as the next try hockey for free event is the first Saturday in November.

Skates used by the youngsters were provided free of charge by the McCarthy Rink Management Group.

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Ronnel Simien Agee, Jr., 20, of Depew Street, Rochester, and  Jaquel Rashod Gibson, 21, of Rochester, are charged with criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment 1st, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, 3rd, and obstructing governmental administration 2nd. Agee and Gibson are accused of fleeing from Deputy Kevin Quackenbush in a stolen 2022 Jeep Cherokee after Quackenbush attempted a traffic stop on Route 33 in Stafford at 8:16 p.m. on Feb. 16. The pursuit continued through Bergen, RIga, Chili, and into the Town of Le Roy, where Le Roy PD deployed spike strips. The vehicle stopped on Randal Road and Agee is accused of running from the vehicle on foot. He was taken into custody a short time later. Both men were held pending arraignment.

Brian Tyler Stachewicz, 27, of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with offering a false instrument for filing 1st. Stachewicz is accused of providing false information on a pistol permit application filed on Aug. 22. He was arrested on Feb. 21 and released on an appearance ticket.

Michael John Vanbuskirk, 49, of Union Street, Le Roy, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Vanbuskirk is accused of failure to appear in court as ordered on a felony charge and then not turning himself in within 30 days. Vanbuskirk was released on an appearance ticket. 

Kevin Michael Monell, 31, of Horan Road, Medina, is charged with petit larceny.  Monell is accused of stealing a carton of cigarettes from a smoke shop on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation on Feb. 23. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Andrea Michelle Kreutter, 33, of East Bethany Le Roy Road, Bethany, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and driver's view obstructed. Kreutter was arrested on Feb. 22 and accused of possessing illegal narcotics during a traffic stop by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 11:50 p.m. on May 13 on East Main Street Road, Batavia. She was ordered to appear in Town of Batavia Court on March 14.

Justine Denae Wood, 36, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Wood is accused of failing to appear in Town of Stafford Court on a criminal matter on Jan. 23.  She was arraigned and ordered held on $2,000 bail.

Jayne B. Liotto, 63, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to keep right. Liotto was reportedly involved in a single-vehicle accident at 1:01 a.m. on Feb. 24 on Drake Street Road, Elba. The accident was investigated by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell. Liotto was released on an appearance ticket.

Hector Yaidal Hernandez, 22, of Ridgeway Avenue, Rochester, is charged with DWI and speeding. Hernandez was stopped 3:34 a.m. on Feb. 25 on Apple Tree Avenue in Bergen by Sgt. Mathew Clor. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Two-time National Basketball Association champion Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell points to the pillars of the game when it comes to the question, “Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?”

“I measure it by those who changed the game,” said the former Boston Celtics standout on Sunday afternoon while taking part in the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming. “Wilt Chamberlain changed the game. They had to change the game to fit him in.

“(Bill) Russell with his 11 championship rings. Those two guys are standard bearers for me when I think about greatness in players. Those would be my first two.”

When asked if personal statistics matter, he responded: “Yes, it is about numbers. It’s about winning championships. So, if you talk about winning championships, Bill Russell (of the Celtics), with 11 rings, is the greatest.”

Maxwell, the most valuable player in the 1981 NBA finals, did mention Lebron James and Michael Jordan, the two players who usually are at the top of the GOAT debate list.

“When it comes to those two, I would start with Lebron and then put Michael next,” he said.

The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in ’81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates “to get on my back, boys” in the decisive seventh game (when he scored 24 points in a 111-102 victory).

Boston went on to win another title behind Hall of Famer Bird in 1986, a year after Maxwell was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

When asked about playing with Bird, the 6-foot-8 power forward said he “didn’t pay much attention to him until he stepped on the floor (in 1979).”

“I averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds when Larry got there; I was the big dog,” he said. “I thought, early on, who is this guy? I didn’t think he could be that good. That was until he stepped on the court and he showed that he was the truth. He just set a different standard.”

Maxwell acknowledged that the NBA is much different today with its emphasis on three-point shooting. He noted that in the last game of the 1981 finals, only six three-pointers were taken.

“The ‘3’ was just an afterthought back then,” he said. “The game has changed completely, and I don’t think for the good. Understand that the three-point shot is an easier shot to take – not to make.”

He recalled that his teammate, the late Chris Ford, made the first three-point shot (in 1979).

“I got a chance to see that but I didn’t know that it was (a harbinger of) things to come.”

In his 26th year as a commentator for the Celtics’ radio broadcasts, Maxwell, 67, said he thinks this year’s Celtics have the right stuff to capture Banner 18, which would be the franchise’s first NBA crown since 2008.

“They’re hitting on all cylinders right now and even when their best player (Jason Tatum) isn’t scoring well, everybody else picks him up.,” he said. “The bench is really tough. I think that’s the difference between the really good teams and elite teams.”

Photo at top: Cedric Maxwell greets longtime Celtics' fan Vin Bukiewicz of Batavia.

DERRICK COLEMAN – Working to help inner-city youth

The former Syracuse Orange basketball star was the No. 1 pick in the 1990 NBA draft and 1991 league Rookie of the Year with the New Jersey Nets. The 6-foot-10 power forward played for three more teams in a pro career – averaging 16.5 points per game over 15 seasons.

Today, he lives in the city where he grew up, Detroit, advocating for inner-city boys and girls through various athletics. He said his latest venture is introducing the sport of lacrosse to youth.

“I was exposed to the sport while at Syracuse and now am working with USA Lacrosse to possibly bring summer camps to Detroit,” he said. “The mission of Derrick Coleman Elite Foundation is to create opportunities for kids to go to college.”

Photo: Derrick Coleman signs a shirt for Batavian Tony Calarco.

RYAN LEAF – Getting his life in order after football

Anyone who follows the NFL knows the story of former quarterback Ryan Leaf, the No. 2 overall pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1998 (after Peyton Manning), who failed to live up to his billing for a number of reasons beyond subpar play.

Leaf’s life went into a downward spiral after four years in the NFL, eventually landing him in prison for burglary and drug-related offenses.

He said he has been in recovery from substance use disorder for the past 11 years, and has devoted his life to helping others overcome the stigma of mental health and addiction as a program ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community.

“Asking for help is the strongest thing you’ll ever do,” Leaf said, referring to those struggling with substance use.

The father of a 5-year-old boy, Leaf, who starred at Washington State University, also works as a college football analyst for the ESPN network.

Photo: Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham, left, and Ryan Leaf.

RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI – Making his mark in indie films

The World Boxing Association Lightweight champion from 1982-84, the Youngstown, Ohio native (and resident) posted a 29-5 career record. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

Today, Mancini, 61, is an independent film producer, specializing in what he calls “high-concept film.”

“There are four successful themes for indie movies – horror/thriller, which is not my flavor; faith-based because you have to build an audience; documentaries, and high-concept film,” he said. “Our current project is a crime thriller in the world of EDM – electronic dance music.

“The one-line pitch is The Sopranos meets Saturday Night Fever. If you liked both of them, then you’ll like this.”

Mancini retired from the ring in 1992 and later moved to Los Angeles to learn about the movie industry.

“I got an education in LA and paid for it myself,” he said. “Now, we’re working with AMC Plus, Paramount Plus and Amazon.”

Photo: Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini autographs a photo of him in the ring.

Photos by Mike Pettinella.

One-time rivals and now close friends, former World Boxing Council heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes and former WBC No. 1 contender Gerry Cooney are in opposite corners when assessing the current state of professional boxing.

“I tell everybody – put ESPN Boxing on your phone and follow it. See the upcoming fights. Read the stories. Boxing is so exciting right now, in all the weight classes – men and women,” Cooney said.

Not so fast, according to Holmes.

“It sucks,” Holmes said, leaving little doubt of his opinion. “The big names aren’t out there. I’m not out there and Gerry’s not out there.”

Holmes and Cooney, photo at top, who squared off on June 11, 1982, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in a heavyweight title match with racial overtones, were together again this afternoon as part of the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming.

They were among about three dozen former professional sports stars who signed memorabilia during the two-day event.

While Holmes, 74, and slowing down a bit, was a man of few words, Cooney, on the other hand, soaked up his time with light-hearted chatter and a willingness to have his photograph taken with the fans.

Cooney, 66, said he is a keen boxing observer and influencer, who talks about the sport on Sirius XM radio channel 156 on Monday and Friday afternoons. He admitted that boxing has lost its luster in recent years but sees a resurgence.

“People lost trust in boxing because there were so many mismatches and (promoter Don) King was doing his stuff. People turned away. They didn’t want to invite their children to it,” he said. “But now, those people who walked away from the game – they’re missing what’s going on. Boxing is great, in all the divisions.”

He rattled off several names, including Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Joe Joyce, Canelo Alvarez, and New Yorker Jared Anderson, and women standouts Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which make him optimistic about boxing’s future.

“People walked away because the guys who really won weren’t getting the decisions. The scores were terrible. It’s all getting better,” he offered.

Cooney said the fact that there were so many different organizations and various “champions” also didn’t enhance the public’s perception of the sport. He said now organizers have “stripped down some of those divisions and that’s a good thing.”

When asked about that bout against Holmes – a fight in which both combatants were paid $10 million – Cooney said the promoters labeled him “The Great White Hope” and pushed the racial aspect that divided fans.

“There was so much racism back then,” he said. “It wasn’t about him and it wasn’t about me. I was in a camp with six or seven guys I went to high school with. We were eating lobster tail and turtle soup. We didn’t have any time for that.

“But they worked on us. I think the promoters, in that fight, promoted that to make money.”

At the time, Holmes, known as the “Easton (Pa.) Assassin” had a 39-0 record with 29 knockouts. Cooney, a Long Island native, was 25-0 with 22 knockouts.

Fighting in front of a Nevada record crowd of 29,214 and a worldwide pay-per-view audience, Holmes won by a technical knockout in the 13^th round. It was a hard-fought match, with Holmes sending Cooney to the canvas in Round 2 and the challenger being penalized three points on low blows.

Not long afterward, Holmes reached out to a dejected Cooney, starting their enduring friendship.

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Sports memorabilia collectors had much to choose from this weekend when the Legends & Stars Sports Expo returned to Batavia Downs Gaming.

Akron's Bobby McClaine and his team of family, friends and volunteers put on another super event that featured a host of former Buffalo Bills and Sabres on Saturday and a dozen or so greats from baseball, football, basketball, hockey and boxing who appeared today.

"We've been doing this since February 2018 and it keeps growing and growing," McClaine said. "Our goal is for to be an experience for kids and adults to meet their heroes and to visit the many vendors who participate."

The next show is scheduled for October or November on a date that doesn't conflict with a Bills' home game, he noted.

Photo above: NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham, right, with Pittsburgh Steelers fan Pat Ward of Syracuse. That's Rocky Bleier, another Steeler great, in the background. Ham is a four-time Super Bowl champion and six-time All-Pro. All photos by Mike Pettinella.

Rocky Bleier, a halfback with the Steelers who also is a four-time Super Bowl champion, greets Webster residents Dave Libutti, right, and Donovan Perales. Former Steelers' wide receiver Louis Lipps also attended.

T.J. Woodward, operator of the Batavia Sports Cards booth, checks on a collectible on the vendor floor, which generated much activity over the two days.

Batavian Patrick Weissand was on top of Red Sox Nation when he had his Boston shirt signed by 1978 American League MVP and Hall of Famer Jim Rice. Rice led the AL in home runs three times during his exceptional career.

Paul Coffey, right, National Hockey League Hall of Fame and four-time Stanley Cup champion (three with the Edmonton Oilers) autographs a replica Stanley Cup for Dylan Nowak of Buffalo. Nowak said he made the cup mostly out of cake pans and it has enough space on it to record the championship teams and players' names for the next 38 years.

That's Rudy Ruettiger, subject of the inspirational movie, "Rudy," which depicts a young man's drive and dedication to make it onto the field as a defensive end for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Today, Ruettiger is a motivational speaker -- encouraging young and old to follow their dreams and to not let others define them.

There was no shortage of Buffalo Bills' collectibles.

Longtime Baltimore Orioles fan Linda Nosbisch of Lancaster with Rafael Palmeiro, four-time All-Star first baseman who hit 569 home runs and compiled 3,020 hits for the Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.

Mini helmets are big in the collectible world. That's Bills' receiver Stefan Diggs on top and former Bills' linebacker Shane Conlan on the bottom.

The Hornets are moving forward in the Section V Class C1 tournament after a quarterfinal win over Addison on Saturday, 44-37.

Scoring for Oakfield-Alabama:

• Alea Groff, 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals
• Caitlin Ryan, 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals
• Emma Wray, seven points, six rebounds, two assists
• Brooke Reding, four points, three assists
• Piper Hyde, four points, five rebounds

"It was an incredibly hard-fought game and gutsy performance by our kids to defeat a very good Addison team," said Coach Jeff Schlagenhauf. "Defensively, I thought we were outstanding from start to finish on Addison's two leading scorers, Chiara Lai and Anna Carlieno. Piper Hyde and Caitlin Ryan led the defense and we did a tremendous job with our help all day. Brooke Reding and Emma Wray provided great leadership and Alea Groff stepped up huge for us."

Oakfield plays in the semifinal on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Honeoye Falls/Lima.

Also in Girls Basketball on Saturday:

• Elba beats Finney, 47-31
• Notre Dame beat York, 69-46
• Pavilion beat Byron-Bergen, 49-25
• Alexander beat Geneseo, 39-36

Photos by Karly Smith.

Elba beat Finney on Saturday 47-31 to advance to the semifinals of the Section V Class D2 tournament.

Sydney Reilly scored 13 points, Lydia Ross 11, Mariah Ognibene, eight, and Kennedy Augello, seven.

"The team is playing well and defense is starting to look better," said Head Coach Charlie Pangrazio. "We're looking forward to the next challenge on Tuesday night."

The Lancers play Scio/Friendship at Mount Morris on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

Ryan Fitzpatrick scored 20 points to help Notre Dame cruise past Honeoye Falls-Lima for a 78-45 win in the Section V Class D1 quarterfinal.

Jordon Welker scored 12 points, Jaden Sherwood and Hayden Groff scored 11 each and Jimmy Fanara scored 10.

Notre Dame plays Filmore on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Warsaw.

Also in Boys Basketball on Saturday:

• Batavia beat Livonia, 79-42
• Le Roy beat Haverling, 77-47. Merritt Holly Jr. scored 33 points.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

No. 1 seed Batavia advanced to the quarterfinal of the Section V Class B1 tournament on Saturday with a dominating win over Livonia, 79-42

Ja'vin McFollins hit five three-pointers en route to a 26-point game. Sawyer Siverling scored 15 points and Carter McFollins scored 12 points.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

Hard work by Kim Crawford and his track crew put aside the effects of an overnight ice storm that negatively impacted a large swath of Western New York, and ensured that the Thursday afternoon (Feb. 23) card was held as scheduled. And despite sloppy conditions with intermittent freezing rain throughout the day, the card went off without a hitch. 

Three $13,000 Open races topped the program along with many big payouts to the wagering public that rivaled those of the machines on the gaming floor.  

It was ladies first as a field of seven top-class distaff pacers went postward with the public all over American Delight N (Jim Morrill Jr.) and the mare did not disappoint her supporters.

Morrill put American Delight N on the engine and never looked back. With Ball Diamond (Keith Kash Jr.) sitting in the garden spot, American Delight N set very even fractions of :29, :59.2 and 1:29 before entering turn four. Ball Diamond tipped to challenge at the head of the lane but couldn’t get the job done as American Delight N held sway to the line to win by a neck in a season’s best 1:58.1. 

It was the second win of the year for American Delight N ($4.10) and owners Mike Deters and Joel Warner. Kevin Reynolds Jr. trains the winner. 

Next came the Open male pacers and Out On Bail (Kevin Cummings) made his seasonal debut a winning one after a strong stretch drive. 

A Game Changer (Deve McNeight III) fought hard against Lord Willoughby A (Winter Asher-Stalbaum) to get the lead but did so in a quick :27.4. A Game Changer slowed the pace a bit to the half in :57.4 and that prompted Out On Bail to pull first-over from fourth as they rolled past the grandstand. A Game Changer saw his lead diminish as they went up the backstretch and his opponent looked him in the eye around the last turn. Out On Bail and A Game Changer were even heading for home and matched strides as they approached the wire. Out On Bail got the advantage late and scored by one-half length in 1:58.1. 

Out On Bail ($6.40) is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sammy Smith. 

Then the top trotters took the stage with Cummings and Smith teaming up again with another Torcello-owned charge, Gemini Eddie, who turned a Northfield tightener into a Batavia victory. 

Leaving from post seven, Credit List (Jim Morrill Jr.) out-muscled the pylon-starting Embrace The Rust (Jim McNeight Jr.) and crossed-over at the quarter in :30.1. Positions of the top two remained unchanged for the next half mile until they were joined by Gemini Eddie, who made a three-wide move from fifth at three-quarters and made his way to second in the last turn. Gemini Eddie hooked up with Credit List at the top of the stretch and the two trotted in tandem all the way to the light where Gemini Eddie got the advantage and won by one-quarter length in 2:00.2. 

It was the 27th lifetime win for the high-percentage Gemini Eddie ($8.20) who has finished in the money 55 percent of the time during his career. 

The off-going also provided a host of longshot payoffs throughout the card. The 50-cent Pick-5 combination of 3,8-7-3-5-2 returned $2,237.50 in the fifth race, a win by the 26-1 SBD Corazon (Denny Bucceri) resulted in a $55.00 win mutuel and $1,209.40 price for the 20-cent superfecta combination of 5-4-6-1 in the seventh race and in the final contest of the night, Mean Irene (Kyle Cummings) upset at 16-1 for a win payout of $35.80, a one dollar 6-9-1-2 superfecta prize of $4,553.50 and a one dollar trifecta of 6-9-1 that paid $1,335.50. 

When live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Feb. 27) at 3 p.m. there will be a $461 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta in the ninth race. Monday is also the final card of racing for the 2023 winter meet. 

Free full card past performance forms for the entire card of live racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

Photo submitted by Batavia Downs.

Batavia's short playoff run in Girls Basketball came to an end Friday night with a loss to Livonia, 66-28.

Anna Varland scored nine points and Adyson O'Donnell scored eight points.

Also in Girls Basketball:

• Notre Dame beat York, 69-46. Amelia McCulley scored 36 points. Emma Sisson scored 14 points.
• Hornell beat Le Roy, 70-40. Lindsey Steffenilla scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds. Kenna MacKenzie scored 12 points.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene